Nightsky Guardian
by Whose Liner
Summary: A seemingly normal teenage boy living an average life finds himself thrust into a world full of mystery, intrigue and danger! He must summon more strength, will and courage than he ever thought was possible in order to survive within a realm of impossibilities! The greatest adventure of a lifetime begins here!


**Introduction: **There's a multitude of things I could say about the "_Zelda_" franchise, all of them positive. But after thinking over the matter, I've concluded that no amount of praise or description could adequately convey my deep love and appreciation for this series.

I would also ask that you read with the knowledge that I put more consideration and care into this story than my previous works. I'm not promising something overly stupendous or groundbreaking, but I did invest much time into it. (This will be my longest piece of fanfiction to date.) All I can say is read on, and I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** Regarding the people involved in bringing "_The Legend of Zelda_" and its subsequent installments to life...we know who they and **they** know who they are! So...

Thanks a million.

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Nightsky Guardian - Prologue**

Sitting on a shelf was a long black case full of video game cartridges. To say that each one unlocked a new door to a new experience would be nothing short of a lackluster description.

Every game present possessed special qualities indigenous to its own universe through its utilization. A balanced blend of solid control, detailed graphics, colorful characters and beautiful music guaranteed a recipe for unparalleled success, resulting in an unforgettable gaming experience…and each one in the case provided such a service as best they could muster.

Among the group there was one that made an arguably flashy effort to truly stand out from the rest and demand attention. A single cartridge managed to make itself noticeable and unmistakable in that its outer appearance was shiny…

…and golden.

An individual walked into the room and opened the case. Without hesitation or doubt, the cartridge which shined like a rare, precious jewel was picked to be the entertainer. A duty that would hopefully continue for a long while.

The game was held for a few seconds as its elegance was admired, but an endeavor to be impressive was unnecessary. It was a well known fact regarding the extent of what the item was capable of . The gold cartridge was then placed inside the video game console connected to the television it was lying on top of; the latter having already been turned on.

The player picked up the game controller and pressed the console's "power" button, activating the game.

* * *

_There are countless legends told throughout history. Despite the existence of a seemingly ageless era where magic was not confused with myth, sword was the preferred armament and uncovering hidden treasure was nearly commonplace,__ the beloved flow of peacetime could not attain the ideal position of permeating itself throughout eternity. As a result, the enormous kingdom of Hyrule often simultaneously assumed the double role of breeding ground and makeshift battlefield for injustice, chaos and war._

_But on a more fundamental mindset, perhaps the worst phenomenon to repeatedly occur was the attempted supremacy of unspeakable, unthinkable and unbridled…evil._

_In moderation, an almost automatic response to such unprecedented malice would arise, in the form of a young man. Though his face initially appeared quiet and unassuming, his subsequent deeds had the capacity to speak volumes. Dark forces purely born for conquest, bloodlust and hatred would all come to know him as the epitome of a hero._

_A sturdy shield and a sleek sword were wielded by a pair of strong arms. An arsenal of additional tools and weapons were an undeniable asset to be sure, but such raw power required a certain amount of wisdom to make it work. Clad in green, this boy had a boundless strength equalled by few others. _

_Inside his heart existed an inexhaustible source of energy that had the ability to outmuscle even the greatest of threats. To sum it up in one word, this attribute was known as…courage._

_Defiant in the face of hopelessness and peril, spanning across the most dangerous landscapes and even remaining unscathed by the passage of time, this boy's impregnable ray of heroic light served as a warning beacon to all who dared to soil the purity of the land and its inhabitants._

_But it also acted as the greatest symbol of perserverance and hope that Hyrule - and possibly the world - would ever know._

* * *

Everywhere, as far as the eye could see, existed a land of tranquility and splendor…but at the present moment, this was not so.

Years of peacetime were interrupted every once in a while by a wave of darkness; the source of which sometimes differed…however, the amount of potential impairment it could cause always remained fixed.

Evil couldn't be more persistent.

Still, opposing forces with good intentions made repeated attempts to match - and exceed - that persistence…with perseverance.

One representative from each side faced off at this current juncture.

For the moment, preparation for a final battle was afoot.

Grounds everywhere were pelted with what felt like endless rain.

Air was permeated with rumbling thunder.

No spectator could predict the outcome of the approaching violence.

One thing was clear, though.

Now was the time for action.

Adventure had long since been secured and endured, sometimes cautiously and often joyfully.

Readying their blades, the two combatants glared at each other.

Equally cold regard ran through their eyes, with one stare trying to overwhelm the other with incredible tension…and the real fight hadn't even begun yet.

Excitement (not of a positive nature) was one word that could adequately describe the surrounding atmosphere.

Varying degrees of anger were swirling within the souls of the duo preparing to go at it.

Evidently, it would be a match to the death.

Real as life…for as long as it lasted.

Years from now, people would remember these next few memorable minutes.

When a fine example of the classic story of good versus evil came to life.

Hero against villain.

Exhibitions of history in the making.

Radical circumstances would soon come into play that were destined to shape the modern world as we know it today.

Exodus to safety seemed pointless.

Benevolent act this wasn't.

Entertainment would be the better word to use…in a twisted sense.

Caution was to be exercised.

After all, a hasty maneuver spelled disaster for whomever initiated the first mistake.

Records of what transpired would be composed with little to no hesitation.

Even the the smallest and seemingly insignificant fact couldn't afford to be overlooked.

Fear kept the hero's intentions under absolute lock and key.

Undoubtedly, one of the few details that people would recall was the adventurer's name.

Link.

* * *

"AH!"

That was as far as the vision proceeded...and everytime it occured in his mind, that was as far as it ever got. Never moving any further, never granting a chance to see how the event played out. That was the cutoff point. A yelp from the teenager who concocted the dream was the normal response it generated.

Then he would awaken, back in the real world, finding himself to be sitting up in bed, panting...and always failing to figure out what the dream - or nightmare - meant.

His name also doubled as a verb, a faint connection to what he saw in his sleep.

A **link** to the-

That fragment of a thought created a series of good questions.

Was it a flashback to the **past?** Some previous life that he had left behind in another age of history?

Or was it premonition? A glimpse into the **future?** A warning of things to come?

The cold sweat that stuck to Link's forehead didn't help. He wiped it away then ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair. If he'd glanced in a mirror at that moment, he would've seen a rather **pale** sixteen-year-old face staring back.

From where his window was positioned (right by his bed, in fact), he could get a great view of civilization from so high up. It should be noted that his eyes weren't fixated on the land below...but the sky above.

It was still nighttime. The stars which were scattered across the heavens did the best job they could to dazzle with their powers of glittering and twinkling. But for this young man, they failed to impress.

Link was focused more on the elements that weren't usually associated with starry skies. He couldn't explain it, but he was nearly completely convinced that the blackness of night above and around him would somehow ultimately be the answer to why he kept witnessing that ugly imagery almost every time he slept.

And as to why he lately had been feeling so...empty.

Letting out a sigh that signified his unsatisfactory state, he instictively knew there was a number of hours to go before the sun rose.

Resting his head against the pillow once more, he attempted to entice the sweet oblivion of sleep to overtake his mind.

Hopefully, there would be no more nightmares tonight.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **And so it begins! The start of something wondrous, yet mysterious! Link has no idea what the future will hold in store for him in due time...but the important question is, will he be capable of handling it?

Additional work on the next chapter is already well under way, so let's hope that you (and Link) won't to wait long to find out what's going on! Until then, take it easy!


End file.
